Business

Business · 30 September 2026

Coal and Curriculum: Fossil Fuel Giants Sponsor 260 New 'Green' Lessons in Aussie Schools

Vera Chen, Sydney desk

A climate advocacy report has uncovered that at least 260 educational programs across Australia carry sponsorships from fossil‑fuel firms, a move that has turned the classroom into a new front for the industry’s mark…

Business · 30 September 2026

Café Caution: Sydney's Bean Bar Faces Legal Roasting Over Dormant Building Law

Vera Chen, Sydney desk

A Sydney café owner is forced into a costly legal battle over a building compliance law that was passed four years ago but has yet to take effect, a reminder that even the market participants can get caught in bureaucra…

Business · 30 September 2026

Wagga Wagga’s Newest Landmark: A $15 billion Data Centre Lurking by the Waste Tip

Vera Chen, Sydney desk

CDC Data Centres has proposed a $15 billion megastructure on the outskirts of Wagga Wagga, raising questions about whether the region’s landfill will become the next digital super‑hub. Market participants are watch…

Business · 30 September 2026

Alan Kohler Announces Retirement, Leaving ABC’s Financial Forecasts to the Next Generation of Numbers

Vera Chen, Sydney desk

After 30 years of delivering market commentary, Alan Kohler steps down from ABC, leaving a void that market participants will scramble to fill, while the network’s ratings take a nosedive into the red.

Business · 30 September 2026

Warehouse Group Turns the Tables: $11.2m Net Profit from a Flat‑Line Sales Floor

Moss Harlow, Auckland desk

Despite retail sales remaining broadly flat, The Warehouse Group turned a lean year into an 11.2m net profit by trimming costs and tightening margins, showing that a well‑executed cost‑cut can make a profit line as s…

Business · 30 September 2026

Tangara Trains Close Back Carriages After Security Breaches, Leaving Commuters in the ‘Front Row’

Vera Chen, Sydney desk

After a string of security breaches, Sydney’s Tangara trains have shut the rear carriages to passengers, prompting a cost‑cutting scramble that could affect the operator’s bottom line and the commuter market.

Business · 30 September 2026

Dentists, Dollars, and Debt: The Tooth Tax That Won’t Quit

Vera Chen, Sydney desk

The Treasury’s free dental care plan has market participants chewing on higher rates, property squeezes, and a new sugary‑drink tax, all while the cost of keeping care unaffordable climbs.

Business · 30 September 2026

KiwiRail's $1.4 B Deficit: City Rail Link Impairment Leaves Track in a Tight Spot

Moss Harlow, Auckland desk

KiwiRail reports a $1.4 bn shortfall, largely due to an impairment charge on the Auckland City Rail Link, hinting that the nation’s rail ambitions may be running out of steam.

Business · 30 September 2026

New Zealand's $4 B Surplus Sparks Finance Minister’s ‘Superhero’ Dream

Moss Harlow, Auckland desk

A surprisingly rosy $4 b surplus has turned the Finance Minister into a self‑made financial superhero, but the real question is whether the surplus will save the nation from a future cash‑rate crisis or simply fuel…